GB 133, Fee Inspection Deregulation Act
Referred to the Government Operations Committee by the Student Senate President
The Government Operations Committee reported the bill to Senate by consent, GO-44
Adopted by consent
Online Text
(as of 2-28-2005, as initially introduced)
GOVERNMENT BILL 133
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
An act to Deregulate the Process of Treasury Fee Inspection
Short Title: Fee Inspection Deregulation Act
(Public)
Sponsored
by: Senators Fabricius and Hinton
Second Reading: March 2, 2005 Version Date: February 12, 2005
Referred
to:
__________________________________________________________.
WHEREAS, the
Department of the Treasury is vested with the authority to inspect the
expenditures of student fees; and,
WHEREAS, the
current structure of fee inspection, including the statutory Student Body
Inspector General has proven ineffective; and,
WHEREAS, the
interests of the Student Body are best served by deregulating the inspection
process, leaving only the core authority in the department for the Student Body
Treasurer to do with as conditions require; now, therefore be it
ENACTED, by
the North Carolina State University Student Senate that:
Section
1. Article 3 of the Chapter 5 Student Body
Statutes shall be amended by inserting:
§5-3.5. External
Fee Inspection.
The Department shall have the authority of the
Student Body to investigate the usage of student fees by units external to
Student Government. Such inspection may be on a recurring or complaint-driven
basis, under such processes set forth by the Student Body Treasurer. All
results from inspections shall be provided to the Senate Committee on Tuition
and Fees.
Section
2. Article 3 of the Chapter 5 Student Body
Statutes shall be amended by striking:
§5-3.8. Student
Body Inspector General.
The Student Body Inspector General shall be
considered a Student Government Official, and shall:
(a)
Advise
the Treasurer and the President on matters of external fee expenditures;
(b)
Review
the financial records of external fee supported programs, as provided by these
statutes;
(c)
Promote
and encourage transparency in the use of fee moneys;
(d)
Report
on the activities of the office to the Senate Committee on Tuition and Fees;
(e)
Maintain
accessible means for members of the Student Body to report concerns involving
use of fee moneys;
(f)
Support
and assist the Senate Committee on Tuition and Fees on matters of fee review.
§5-3.9.
Appointment of Inspector General.
The Treasurer shall appoint an Inspector General
no later than the fifth class day of the fall semester, subject to the majority
confirmation of the Senate. There shall be no qualifications for Inspector
General beyond those of a Student Government Official.
Section
3. Article 3 of the Chapter 5 Student Body
Statutes shall be amended by striking:
Part III. External Fee Inspection.
§5-3.12. External
Fee Inspection.
The processes of external fee inspection shall
be conducted by the Inspector General with such direction provided by the
Treasurer and the President.
§5-3.13. Program
Review.
Upon instruction from either the Senate, the President,
or the Treasurer; or on his or her own accord, the Inspector General shall
thoroughly review the finances of any fee supported program. When such review
is complete, the Inspector General shall publish a public report detailing the
manner and method of the program’s expenses.
§5-3.14. Complainant
Investigation.
When concerns or complainants involving the use
of fee moneys are received by the Inspector General, he or she shall
investigate the nature of the expenditure. The Inspector General shall report
to the Senate Committee on Tuition and Fees any matters that seem inconsistent
with the policies or best interests of the Student Body.
§5-3.15. Financial
Improprieties.
Should in the course of investigations or
reviews the Inspector General encounter activities that amount to financial
improprieties, the Inspector General shall report those activities to the
University Auditor, in the case of employee run programs, or the Office of
Student Conduct and the Senate Committee on Campus Community, in the case of
student run programs.
§5-3.16. External
Limit.
External Fee Inspection powers shall not extend
to use of Student Body Funds by bodies of the Student Government; internal
audit authority shall remain vested with the Student Body Auditor (SBS §5-1.10).
The Inspector General shall forward all complains concerning such internal fee
use to the Auditor, if appointed, otherwise to the President, the Senate
Committee on Finance, and the Senate Committee on Government Operations.
Section
4. SBS §5-3.7 shall be amended by striking
“Office of Inspector General” and inserting “inspection of external use of
fees”.
Section
3. This act shall be effective upon its
enrollment.